Ok, this is not your usual stuffed vine leaves, it is more wintery and warming! Because it is served warm and with a nice yoghurt sauce.

How to make it?

1.Mix the grated onion, finely chopped dill, rice and bulgur. Add some salt and pepper.2. Fill each of the vine leaves, by placing a spoonful of the stuffing first then closing from the bottom ends slowly. Place some of the torn leaves at the bottom of your pan. Then put each wrapped leaf tightly, next to each other.
3. Put a big spoonful of spicy rep pepper paste, in the a bowl of lukewarm water (suppose 4 glassses of water, enough to go on top of the piled, stuffed leaves in the pan) Also cover the food with a porcelain plate then put the lid on.
4. Start with high heat, once the water is boiled, simmer it down for until the leaves get softer. It takes about 20 – 25 minutes usually.
5. Crush one or two garlic to your taste and mix it well with a bowl full of yoghurt. Add some salt, mint and olive oil.
6. Once the food has cooled enough to eat, serve immediately with the sauce.
Enjoy : )

I made this light lunch couple of days ago and since I made so much, it lasted for the following day as well. So, it serves 4. I forgot to take a picture but will replace the one above soon.
I suggest trying it with fine bulgur or even brown rice instead, it tastes good. Serve with any type of grilled meat or like I do, with halloumi. And a bit of salad.

What do I need?
1½ glasses of coarse bulgur wheat
2 or 2½ glasses of boiled water
1 large onion, chopped

1. Fry the chopped onions and garlic until brown, then add the chopped chilli. But do not touch your eyes, like I did!

2. Whilst the onions and chillis are cooking, chop the courgettes in cubes then add them, stir well, over a medium hob.

3. Boil water in another sauce pan. Always boil more than you need and always have a sizing glass or cup. Mine is an old Nutella jar. This will be kept to one side, and added to the other mixture as you go.

4. Mix the bulgur wheat into the courgette mixture. Stir well, then add 2 cups of warm or boiling water. The water level should be just higher than the mixed veg and bulgur in the pan. Add the salt and pepper. Close the lid, bring it to boil.

5. Once boiled, turn the hob down to its lowest setting. Let it soak for about 5- 10 minutes.

6. Taste whether the bulgur is cooked. If it is soft enough, then switch the hob off, and let the food rest for ten minutes.

1 spoonful of truffle oil
a big piece of rye bread, cut in cubes
And if you really want, single cream or yoghurt to top

The recipe is very easy, if you boil the celeriac cubes about 5 minutes separately, makes a difference.

Fry the onions and garlic then add the potatoes and a glass of warm water. Stir, then add the celeriac cubes. Cook about 5 minutes then add 4 – 5 glasses of warm water. It should cover the celeriac just about not too much, not less.

Bring it up to boil then simmer, close the lid. 20 minutes later, check the celeriac cubes, if they are almost melting, then it is time to blender. If not, cook a little bit more.

Once you blendered, you can add some single cream in. Or instead, when you are serving, add a dollop of yoghurt in the soup bowls.

For the croutons,

Get a small non stick pan, warm it up then add the bread cubes. You have to watch it carefully otherwise it burns. Add some truffle oil – you can use walnut oil as well – then add some mint and red pepper flakes, stir well.

1. Heat the pan (I used an iron casserole) at maximum level, add the butter, once it is melted, add the pinenuts and roast them until they turn brownish.
2. Lower the heat on the hob, add the semolina and begin stirring it. Now this will take 35 – 40 minutes so you better have a good podcast on or some nice music or a book on the other hand!
3. Once the colour of the semolina begins turning yellowish, switch the hob off.
4. Add the whole milk and continue stirring, because it is too hot, the semolina will absorb all of it.
5. Then add the sugar, switch the hob on (make sure it is the smallest one) continue stirring, it will look slurry, do not get disheartened it will taste delicious! Stir until the sugar melts and is absorbed by the semolina, it takes about 5 minutes so do not go anywhere otherwise you might burn it!
6. Switch the hob off, put a kitchen towel in between then close the lid, let it cool down a little bit.
7. Place the desert on a glass serving plate with the help of a big spoon. Serve with cinnamon!

1. Boil the puy lentils for about 20 minutes till they get crispy, but soft. Add generous amounts of blackpepper, then let it cool down.
2. Boil some cous cous with a drizzle of olive oil and again, cool it down.
3. Chop the peppers and fry them gently with a bit of olive oil and dried garlic.
4. Once the peppers are soft enough add the dried tomatoes with chopped garlic, stir them gently for a couple of minutes.
5. Mix the puy lentils, add generous amounts of thyme, stir it, then pour some white wine, simmer it down for 5 – 10 minutes.
6. Add the cous cous and stir well, then pour this mixture into a bowl.
7. Finally add the chopped spring onions then serve with a drizzle of lemon juice on it and some yoghurt aside!